Valentines Day
by NikkiFeral
Summary: Shal and Brenn are alone in Sancutary on Valentines Day.Not mine.
1. Beginning

**Valentines Day**

This story takes place during Mutant X's third season

**Beginning**

"Shal, I think you've had enough."

Shalimar gave Brennan a look that he would have dared to call a pout if it had been on the face of any other woman.

"Aww, c'mon, Bren –"

He grabbed her empty shot glass and placed it out of her reach. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bartender's smirk. Playfully, Shalimar swatted at him, and he deflected her blows, laughing. "No! No more tequila for you!"

She was glassy eyed, but not slurring. Yet. He was trying hard to be serious-he did, after all, care about her well-being – but Shalimar tipsy was just too funny.

"In fact, you know what? No more alcohol for you, period." He couldn't get it out with a straight face.

She made a disgruntled sound, looking at him with big brown eyes, her lower lip stuck out in that expression that was so cute, so sexy, and so uniquely hers.

"That look isn't going to work on me," he told her with mock sternness. Oh but it _was_ working...

Shifting gears, she took him by both hands, pulling him off of his barstool.

"C'mon. Dance with me."

Smiling, he let her pull him toward the Red Club's packed dance floor, noting the slight sway to her steps. Definitely tipsy, though he was the only person there that knew her well enough to know just how tipsy she was.

The drum and bass music the DJ was currently spinning was loud in his ears. It was an old track, but a classic one – Red Club's new DJ had very good taste. The rhythm and the mood of the song began to move through him – Shalimar let go of his hands, and he found himself wishing that she hadn't. Amid the press of bodies, she started to dance, and Brennan couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She was wearing that slinky, backless top that he secretly liked so much, the dark red one that was only held on by thin laces at her neck and back. Combined with those low-rise jeans... Shal was looking good. Real good. Hell, she always looked good, but tonight...

He watched her, observing the play of muscle beneath her soft skin as she moved, eyes closed, lost in the music. His eyes wandered along the low line of her jeans, just clinging to those delicious hips, and he got a glimpse of her amazingly firm and flat stomach. God, she was beautiful. And they were friends. He shouldn't be thinking about her this way.

"Come on, Brennan. Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna dance with me?"

Her face was flushed, as much from the drinks she'd shared with him as from dancing, and her eyes sparkled. She smiled at him, and for just one moment, it seemed like more than the warm, friendly smile that he was used to. Shalimar was a tease, he knew that; likely she was winding him up, and getting a big kick out of doing it. He knew it was her MO, but butterflies started to flutter in his stomach. He'd had a bit to drink, too – he was feeling awfully good right now, Shalimar looked awfully good to him, and before he even knew what was happening, she was there, very close, dancing with him, moving with him, against him... He didn't think he could take her teasing him like this, but it felt too good for him to try and stop her.

He caught some of the envious glances from the people around them. They thought he and Shalimar were there together...exclusively. As a couple. Let them think what they would. He was enjoying having her to himself for just this little while. He couldn't blame the others for being a little envious – he had to admit that he and Shal looked good together.

Together...

The thought flashed through his mind, but not fast enough for him to have missed it. It would be lie to say that he hadn't thought it before. There had been times when he had thought about them being more than friends. He'd almost kissed her once...

She turned around into him, pressing against his body. As she let his arms come around her waist and her arms twined around his neck, he couldn't help thinking that maybe there was something she was trying to tell him. The look in her eyes as he held her tight he couldn't decipher. It didn't matter – he felt invincible with her in his arms, even though he knew it wouldn't last, even though he knew it wasn't real.

It was just the effects of a little too much alcohol playing on both of them. That was all. In the morning, back at Sanctuary, things would be unchanged.

On the way home from the club, Shalimar fell asleep (more like passed out) in the car. It worried Brennan a little. She didn't usually drink that much. Sure, she had a thing for good tequila, but it wasn't like her to get as out of control as she had tonight. He'd been getting the feeling all evening that, underneath her kitten-cute flirting and pretending to come on to him, something was bothering her. He knew her well enough to sense it, to know that something about her fun-loving exterior was forced.

He had a hell of a time trying to wake her when they finally got back to Sanctuary later that night (actually, it was early the next morning). Putting his hand on her shoulder, he shook her gently.

"Shal?"

He shook her again, a little harder this time. She stirred. Rolling over, her arm went around him and she leaned across the gap between the seats to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Mmm, can't we just sit here for a while?" she asked him fuzzily.

It wasn't that he didn't like the feeling of her snuggled against him. He liked it. A lot. But he knew that if he didn't get her out of the car now, he wasn't going to get her out at all. He maneuvered his shoulder gently out from under her head, forcing her to sit up. Her eyes opened, looking at him groggily.

"Brennan –"

He got out of the car and went around to the passenger side. Opening the door, he held out his hand to her.

"Come on, Shal. I'll take you to bed."

Her eyes turned wicked, and a slow smirk spread across her face.

"Is that a promise?" she asked devilishly.

The look in her eyes started the butterflies fluttering all over again. Not for the first time, he got the feeling that there might be a grain of truth behind her flirting. Behind his smile, he swallowed hard.

"You know what I meant."

Her smirk widened into a smile, knowing that she'd gotten to him.

Taking her hands, he helped her to her feet. She was not, however, too steady on them. She stumbled, but Brennan caught her...losing his balance in the process. He fell back against the car, accidentally pulling Shalimar along. She in turn fell into him, laughing and burying her face against his chest. The laughter bubbled out of her, delightful and totally infectious, and Brennan found himself laughing with her.

They made it out of the garage and into Sanctuary's main room, Shalimar leaning heavily on him for support the entire way. They had entered on the upper level – Brennan got her as far as the top of the stairs, where it became clear that she wasn't going to be able to manage the stairs under her own power. She was too far gone, and laughing entirely too hard.

"I'm fine," she insisted between giggles, and took a lurching half step toward the stairs, teetering dangerously.

If Brennan hadn't been there to steady her, the result could have been disastrous. But he was there, and he caught her up in his arms, her back to him, and held her tight. Her hair was soft, like silk where it brushed against his chin – he breathed in, inhaling the sweet, clean scent, and with it Shalimar's own unique and familiar spicy-sweetness.

Whatever it was that was between them, it was sparking again. He felt it in the way that she had relaxed in his arms, and in the way that he held her that much tighter. He'd felt like this with her before, and he remembered very well what had almost happened then.

Shalimar let out a surprised shriek when he shifted his grasp and lifted her off of her feet. Holding her draped across his arms, he carried her down the single flight of stairs, her arms tightly around his neck. Between her shriek and the ringing peals of her laughter filling the room now, he was sure they had managed to wake someone. He didn't care – he loved it. He loved the way she was nuzzling her face against his shoulder even more.

He managed to get her safely to her room, and laid her gently down on the giant fur-covered lounge in the corner. He would have put her in her bed, except that he couldn't safely lift her into the high bunk. Letting go of her, he tried to straighten up – her arms tightening around his neck prevented it.

"Stay," she told him softly. Her eyes were already closed. She'd be out like a light in a few minutes.

Gently, he extricated her arms from around his neck and stood. He wanted to kiss her. He didn't know what she would want. And he didn't know whether or not it was just the alcohol talking.

To make her more comfortable he took off her boots, placing them at the end of the lounge. Walking over to her bed, he grabbed a spare blanket to cover her with. He took his time tucking it close around her.

"Please stay," she muttered, almost asleep.

Brennan kissed her brow softly. "Goodnight, Shal."


	2. Valentines Day

**Valentines Day**

When Brennnan did finally manage to get himself out of bed in the morning (actually it was almost noon), he headed straight to the kitchen to make a pot of the blackest, strongest coffee he could conjure up. It didn't surprise him to see the door to Shalimar's room shut tight, with her still fast asleep inside, no doubt. She had partied a lot harder than he had at the Red Club last night.

The thought reached him again that it really wasn't like her to take things quite so far as she had last night. But everyone had to go a little overboard once in a while, right? Shal did like to have a good time, but he couldn't ever remember having to carry her and help her to bed – as he recalled, the last time they went out it was she who had been helping him get safely to bed at the end of the night.

What it was about her that made him feel like something was off was hard to pinpoint. It was just a feeling. Truthfully, it was probably nothing. He didn't need to worry about her. His head was hurting too badly at the moment to let him to worry overmuch anyway.

She'd wanted him to stay last night, and he'd been trying not to think about it. Why hadn't he stayed? Because he'd wanted to kiss her? It seemed she'd been asking him to do just that the entire night. So why hadn't he? It hadn't sounded like teasing, or felt like it with her arms tight around his neck, when she'd asked him to stay, and she'd felt so good in his arms... They had both also had a lot to drink. He had been trying to do the right thing. Something about her always brought that out in him. Should he have let it get in the way of being close to her, maybe even having a little fun? If it wasn't so hard for him to tell where he stood with her sometimes, he might have had an answer. He thought he knew, but there were times when he wasn't sure at all. Like last night at the club. Like last night in her room. Like the time he'd almost kissed her before.

Thinking about it was only making his head pound harder. He downed another cup of coffee and tried to forget about it. They were friends and he cared about her. End of story.

When he came back from the kitchen, finding Shalimar up and around caught him by surprise.

"Hey, Shal," he called to her.

She winced, squinting across the room at him. "Not so loud," she groaned.

He walked over to her, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Are you okay?" he asked in a softer voice.

"Aside from the five-alarm hangover? Peachy." There was more than a little sarcasm in her voice.

He frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't really want to talk about it, Brennan."

Slap.

She saw his reaction, and felt badly for the way that had sounded – he could see it.

"Thanks...for taking care of me last night," she said.

"Sure."

One last small smile and she was gone, walking away from him and into her room, closing the door behind her.

Something was definitely bothering her.

He didn't see Shalimar for most of the day after that. When she did finally come out of hiding, it was to take up a position in one of the common room's chairs to brood in silence. Brennan didn't know what to do – it really bothered him when she was upset.

Was it something about last night? Surely that couldn't be it... Now that the fear had entered his mind, he couldn't shake it.

He didn't say anything to her at first, just sat down in the chair across from hers. She didn't look at him. In fact, she ignored him.

"Hey."

"Hey," she said back.

He waited, to see if she would say anything more. She didn't.

"Hey," he said again, trumping her I-don't-want-to-talk response.

She sighed, but not in a way that suggested she was getting angry with him. "I don't feel much like talking, Brennan."

He wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Did your hot date call and cancel?" he asked.

She looked at him then, and stared. "What?"

"Well, it _is _Valentines Day." He grinned. "I have a hard time believing that you didn't have a date lined up."

She wasn't smiling back.

"Let's just say I don't like Valentines Day very much," she told him sourly.

"C'mon. You're just saying that because you're not gonna have anyone to spend it with," he teased.

He'd never noticed her being upset on Valentines Day before. Of course, he'd always been occupied with activities of his own before. Maybe if he'd been around, he would have noticed.

"If it makes you feel better," he said, trying to sound comforting, "I don't have a date either."

"It's not that," she said. "Just...bad memories."

Silence stretched. He wasn't sure what he should say next, or if he should ask what those bad memories were. Shalimar kept on brooding, and he stayed put, unsure of what to do. It surprised him when she spoke up on her own.

"Zack ditched me on Valentines Day."

"Zack Lockhart?"

"Yeah. It was Valentines Day when the police raided our apartment and found the stuff Zack had stolen in my freezer. I got arrested, and by then Zack was long gone. I spent what was supposed to be a romantic evening for two alone in a cold jail cell with a broken heart."

There it was, that little jut to her lower lip that she always got whenever she was hurting... His heart went out to her. Zack really was a bastard if he could let someone like Shalimar take the fall like that, then show up only to screw her all over again. _He _would never hurt her like that. _He _had known from minute one what Zack was all about, and that he was no good for her.

"So that's why you were so pissed when he showed up again."

She just nodded.

"Don't let him keep ruining this day for you, Shal."

She sighed. "I'm over the Zack thing. It's just...ever since then, Valentines Day had been one bad experience after another."

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

A small, rueful smile touched her lips. "It's not your fault, Brennan. It's just not a good day for me, that's all."

He thought of something then that might make her feel better. Jesse was gone on a hot date of his own, and Lexa was off seeing some guy named Marco – it was just he and Shal alone, unless they had to call their teammates back for some kind of emergency. No one was around to hear him say it...

_Just say it..._

"I'll be your Valentine."

She smiled, a genuine, warm one this time. When she looked at him, she had that familiar twinkle back in her eyes.

"That's sweet," she said warmly. She leaned forward in her chair, reaching out to pat his knee. "If I was looking for a Valentine."

She stood.

"Think about it," he said before she could walk away.

She just smiled.

It was probably for the best that she retreated back into her room after that. Otherwise she might have caught on to what he was planning. It was okay, really – she tended toward solitude when things bothered her. He didn't think it was because she didn't want his company. It was enough for her to know that he was nearby, if she wanted him.

He had to run out for a bit to get what he needed, but he didn't want to leave without telling her. Walking up to the door to her room, he knocked softly. He could hear her moving around inside. She opened the door a minute later, just a crack, and peered out at him.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm going out for a bit, for some fresh air, and maybe make a food run," he told her. "I shouldn't be gone too long. Unless you want to come with?"

She shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'm going to be laying down for a bit." A little half smile. "Thanks anyway."

"Sure."

He tried not to look relieved. It was the answer that he had expected, and for a moment he hadn't been so sure that he was going to get it. "I'll be back."

"Okay."

A last little smile and she closed the door. He'd seen it in her face, that she didn't really want to be alone here. But what he had to do wouldn't take long and it was going to make her feel a whole lot better.


	3. It continues

**It continues**

Once Brennan was gone, Shalimar did what she'd said she would, namely lay down, finding that she was lonely without the sense of him being near. Just because she didn't really want to talk didn't mean that she wanted to be totally alone. Maybe she should have gone with him.

She'd been feeling so much closer to him lately. She had developed a bond with Brennan that she didn't have with the others, not even with Jesse. And that bond had been getting stronger. Last night...it had felt good being in his arms. She'd trusted him, felt safe. She'd felt loved. But they were just friends. Right. Friends. That's why he'd offered to be her Valentine – to make her feel better because he was her friend and he loved her as a friend. It was innocent enough.

And what she'd asked last night had been innocent, too. They'd been so close at the club, so close afterward when he'd helped her to bed. She remembered the way his arms had tightened around her, the way she'd let herself relax into his warmth as they stood at the top of the stairs. All that she had wanted was for him to hold her while she slept, maybe because her holiday jinx had her feeling more than a little vulnerable. She'd also had a fair amount to drink. Maybe it was better that he hadn't stayed.

She knew the instant that he was back, even before he called in over the comlink. She hadn't been making it up, the time that she'd told him that she could sense him from a hundred feet away. It wasn't like that with anyone but him.

"_I'm pulling into the garage now," _he told her. _"Everything okay?"_

That made her smile. Brennan really could be a mother hen sometimes, though he would never admit to it.

"I'm fine," she told him, then added, "I'm glad you're back."

She could almost feel his smile. _"I'll be in a few minutes."_

She sighed.

_That's it, _an inner voice chastised. _Let him know how lonely you are for his company._

She ignored it and got up, leaving her room and walking into the common room, standing by one of the chairs and watching the tunnel that led in from the garage, waiting. She was studying the floor in front of her when she heard his footsteps. When she looked up, he was there, walking toward her. The way he was smiling, it was like he had known that she would be there.

Was she that obvious?

Something was up. Brennan looked...nervous? No. That wasn't the right word.

"I, um, got these for you..."

She smelled the flowers before she saw them, their soft, sweet scent reaching her a second before he produced the bouquet from behind his back. That didn't leave her any less surprised at being handed a dozen beautiful red long-stem roses, just for her.

He smiled, a little shyly. "I hope you like them."

Like them? They were gorgeous! It was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for her, and on a day when things usually weren't so great.

"They're beautiful, Brennan," she said when she could finally remember how to form coherent thoughts and put together words into speech.

Brennan couldn't help smiling, seeing her like this, her face lit up by a bright smile. It was a vast improvement over her earlier melancholy. She was much more beautiful this way. The flowers had been worth the trip, just to see her so happy.

"Happy Valentines Day."

Her smile faded. She looked up at him, her eyes narrowing just the slightest bit.

"What's this about, Brennan?"

Her reaction unsettled him, and he tried not to let it show. Had he done something wrong? He kept his warm smile in place and decided to forge ahead.

"It's about giving you better memories," he told her, very softly. That much, he meant with all of his heart.

Her mood did another one-eighty – she was smiling again, much to his relief. Just as suddenly as her mood had shifted, she was stepping close and throwing her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. For just an instant, he was at as loss as to how he should react. She'd surprised him. But then his arms came around her, hugging her tightly back, as naturally as always. He loved this affectionate side of her nature – she didn't share it with everyone. He was glad that she shared it with him. He realized, too, with a sudden flutter in his stomach, that he liked feeling her body pressed so tight against his...

She released him, her arms dropping away, and took a step back. One of her hands caught his and gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you, Brennan."

He actually blushed.

He didn't expect her to kiss him, not on the lips. And he wasn't expecting the spark between them the instant their lips touched in what was only supposed to be a friendly kiss. Her lips lingered sweetly on his, and suddenly they had crossed a boundary that they had been hovering on the edge of all this time without ever even realizing it.

Maybe they had realized it, and just chose to ignore it.

He felt her body stiffen, hesitating when he pulled her close. Gently, he coaxed her with his mouth and she relaxed, mouth melting beneath his, body melting in his embrace, shivering as his tongue slid between her lips. The smell of roses surrounded them, and she kissed him back, hand coming to rest along his jaw. He found out then just how sweetly responsive she could be, feeling all of her strength and all of her heart in just that one perfect kiss.

In it there was wonder, discovery, and surrender to something that had been there for longer than they ever knew. And, there was desire – he tasted it in the heat of her mouth, felt it in the way her tongue slid against his, in the pounding of her heart against his chest.

When it was over, Shalimar looked up at him with bewildered and at the same time deliciously wanton eyes. He let his brow rest against hers. His hands covered hers where they rested on his chest.

"Still not looking for a valentine?" he asked thickly. God, he could barely speak; she'd taken his breath away.

"I think I've changed my mind."

Her voice was thick with desire, too. She was shaking like a leaf in his arms. She wanted him, but there was vulnerability in her eyes. He kissed her again, slow and deep, backing off just a bit. He wanted to reassure her. Slowly, he felt her melting all over again – she could trust him. She didn't have to be afraid...

He took the bouquet from her and tossed it onto the chair. A few petals came loose, fluttering to the dark polished floor. It didn't matter. The roses weren't important anymore. Gently, his fingers brushed over her bare midriff – the hard, flat muscles tensed beneath his touch. The sound of her soft, sweet moan nearly did him in.

"Is this what you want?" he breathed against her ear, feeling her tongue making a wet patch on his neck.

She moved to kiss the hollow of his throat, and he felt her small nod. Hand tangling in his hair, she pulled his head down, bringing his mouth hard against hers. Her teeth grazed his lower lip, and she bit deliberately, letting him know exactly what she wanted. Pushing him back, she looked up at him – her eyes flashed, dark slits within two glowing orbs, before returning to warm, melted brown.

With his hand, he caressed her flushed cheek. "My room or yours?"

She pulled him hard into her, into another passionate kiss that ignited a dangerous blaze of desire in both of them.

"Your room," she said against his mouth, her tongue caressing his lips. "My bed is too small."

They stumbled their way toward the door to his room, kissing and touching as they went, Shalimar pushing him urgently. He got the door open, she pushed, and he went careening backwards, pulling her with him. His legs bumped into the bed, bringing the lower half of his body to an abrupt stop. His momentum kept the rest of him going, and he fell back onto the bed, Shalimar tumbling down on top of him.

It wasn't the fall that left him breathless; it was being with her now, like this, looking up into her smiling face and knowing what she was asking of him. She leaned down to kiss him, her hair falling around their faces in a golden curtain of soft, shimmering waves. He was surrounded by the sweet smell of it, feeling it brush silky-soft on his face, and the scent of her warm skin. He wasn't sure if it was that making him dizzy, or if it was the way she was kissing him and the sweet feeling on her weight on top of him. Maybe it was a little of both.

Then she was pressing up, moving away. For one terrified moment, he thought that she was leaving him, that she had changed her mind...

She wasn't leaving.

He sat up, looking into eyes that burned into his. Standing there, she reached for him, and he pulled her close, his hands splaying over her hips. They skimmed up over her waist, pushing her camisole along with them. He kissed her flat, flawless stomach, letting his lips and tongue trail over skin that burned with heat. With her hands resting on his shoulders, she closed her eyes, head falling back in pleasured abandon. She leaned into him, relaxing, surrendering to the feeling of his mouth moving on her and the sensations that were moving through her body. She had no idea that it could be like this with him...

When his tongue dipped into the shadowed dimple of her navel, she gasped, shuddering hard. Her fingers dug into his shoulders.

Then he did it again.

Her hands flew to either side of his head, forcing him back, and in an eye blink she was straddling his lap, catching the hem of his t-shirt in her hands. Pulling it off over his head she tossed it aside. She touched him, her hands gliding over his torso, learning ever curve, every angle, and every plane with incredible tenderness. He held her, letting her explore, feeling the trail of her soft kisses on his shoulders, collarbones and neck.

His hands swept up under her light camisole, skimming over soft skin and lithe muscle that trembled at his touch. Oh god, she was so strong and so beautiful, and she had him so hard now that he couldn't think. It was all he could do to hold himself at bay, unless he wanted this to be over right now.

He didn't want that.

At his gentle insistence, her arms lifted to let him sweep the light cotton material over her head and off. He took his time exploring her, tasting her, learning every single place that she liked to be touched. He felt her arms tighten around him, listening to the soft, pleasured sounds she was making against his ear. He could feel her racing heart when he pulled her tight against his chest, bare skin to bare skin, and captured her mouth with his.

It wasn't until her hands fumbled at the fastener of his jeans that he realized this was really happening. This was real. It wasn't a dream. Shalimar, this beautiful woman that he was holding in his arms, was really going to give herself to him. She wanted him. She wanted to make love with him.

"Brennan..." she said breathlessly against his ear, asking him, with that single sweet utterance of his name, for everything.

He couldn't deny her. Her want of him pulled on him the same way the moon tugged at the earth. It was what she had been since the day they met, a force effecting his life in ways that he could never have imagined. She'd worked her way into his heart – he had been falling for her all this time, the thread of his life becoming hopelessly entwined with hers after the simple twist of fate that had brought them together. He'd felt it, and never known it for what it was. He loved her. He had been loving her since the moment they met.

Whether she knew it or not, she loved him, too. He felt it in every kiss, every touch, in the space between every beat of her heart. It was in her eyes when she framed his face in her hands and smiled down at him, drawing a tender line down the column of his throat and flattening her palms against the flat planes of his chest.

She rocked her body against his, seeking, wanting, and he obliged, pulling them back onto the bed, rolling her beneath him. Kissing, licking, touching, feeling, the rest of their clothing fell away.

Bracing himself, he slid the first little bit inside of her. He kissed her mouth, feeling her rise beneath him, taking him deeper. She was smaller than he thought she would be... Slowly, he sank himself all the way into her. She made a strangled sound and whimpered, trembling.

Holding himself still, he dropped his forehead against hers. "Am I hurting you?"

"No," she answered, breath coming fast. Her tongue caressed his ear. "Brennan...please..."

With any other woman, he would have begun then. For her, he waited. He wanted to give her this one perfect moment, to know, to feel...

The world pulsed and surged as he began to move, languorous and deep, inside of her. She felt so good, moving with him, her fingers seeking the line of his back, the column of his spine, digging into his flesh. He could feel the coiling tension within her tightening body. It wouldn't be long...

He stroked deeply once, twice, and her body went taut – he held her tight, feeling the rippling tremors of her release as her body quickened beneath his. Groaning, he pushed into her, letting the waves of her climax pull him over the edge; she could only cling to him as he went rigid against her, inside of her, coming hot and hard into her still throbbing body.

It was so good that, for one moment, neither could tell where one of them ended and the other began.

When he could breathe again, when the roaring of his blood in his ears had subsided, he looked down at her, still feeling the shivering aftershocks of her pleasure. Lovingly, he brushed a stray lock of golden hair from her face and gently kissed her forehead. With his lips he traced the feathery arch of her brows, the perfect line of her mouth, his heart swelling unexpectedly with love for her.

He started to ease his body off of hers – her hands clamping down on his hips stopped him. Her eyes opened, their warm depths shining with moisture.

"Please, don't leave," she said.

He couldn't. At that moment he would have done anything that she asked of him.

He eased back down, shifting position slightly as he filled her once more, and she inhaled sharply. Her body went tight, and at first he thought something was wrong. Then he felt it, the telltale rippling going through her... He watched her face as it happened, watched her eyes close, her lips part, heard her whimper helplessly as her body surged and he stroked slowly, deeply inside of her, helping her wring every last drop of pleasure from her unexpected release.

When her shuddering finally ceased, she relaxed beneath him, totally and utterly spent. For a few moments she lay quiet, her arms linked around his neck.

"That was nice," she purred softly, a lazy, sexy smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

Grinning, he bumped his forehead against hers. "Just nice?"

She gasped, feeling him move inside her, reminding her just how good it had been. When she looked up at him, gazing deep into his eyes, her expression softened, her eyes turning infinitely warm.

"It was wonderful," she said, the same warmth that was in her eyes having made it's way into her voice.

"Still having a bad day?" he asked, grinning again.

Her fingertips brushed his cheek. "Mmm, not anymore. This is the best Valentines Day I've ever had. I'm glad it was with you."

What he felt for her at that moment, he couldn't have described with words. With his hand, he gently caressed her face, made that much more beautiful by the love he saw in it.

"We finally got together, huh, Shal?"

Biting her lower lip, she smiled. "Yeah."

Later, much later, she lay entwined with him, tangled in the sheets, listening to his heart beating beneath her ear. Part of her still couldn't believe that she was here with him, like this. It was...perfect. She hadn't just given him her body – she had given him her heart. All this time, she had been falling for him...

"I think I'm in love with you," she whispered, almost asleep.

His arms tightened around her, and she snuggled more securely into his warmth. When he kissed the top of her head, she felt his smile. Feeling his fingers threading gently through her hair, she drifted into contented sleep.


	4. Next morning

**Next morning**

In the morning, she woke slowly to the feeling of Brennan's warmth spooned against her back. She was glad that he was still here. Maybe she shouldn't have been surprised – this was after all his room and his bed. His arm was around her, his hand resting lightly on her stomach, holding her more tightly in sleep than he hand in waking. She tensed with something that fell just short of a full stretch, feeling the delicious languor that suffused her body, and smiled to herself. She'd never thought that spending a night in Brennan's bed could feel so good.

From friends to lovers, just like that. One sweet gesture, one kiss, and everything had changed. Last night, they had truly and deeply loved, so suddenly after all this time...

Gently she rolled over in Brennan's arms, trying not to disturb him. He was breathing deeply, his dark lashes spread against his face, giving him a curious vulnerability and softening the handsome angles of his face into a sort of boyish innocence. She wasn't expecting the swell of emotion that suddenly tightened her chest, or the tears that were threatening to fill her eyes. All she could do was kiss him, his lips, his closed eyes, softly and tenderly.

Last night, whether or not she wanted to admit it or even believe it, he had touched something in her soul.

His breathing changed – sleepily, Brennan's arms tightened around her, hugging her close. Winding her arms around him, she tucked her face into the space between his neck and shoulder, returning his affectionate gesture, leaving a trail of kisses along his collarbone.

"Good morning," she said softly, nuzzling her face against his neck.

Opening his eyes, he looked at her. He touched her face, gently wiping the droplets of moisture from her lashes with his thumb.

"Please don't cry," he said to her.

"I can't help it."

"Shal, sweetheart..."

He kissed her, and the tears spilled down her cheeks. He kissed them away.

"I love you, Brennan," she whispered in his ear.

"I know," he said, his voice warmer than she had ever heard it. "I love you, too."

Then he kissed her again; she could smell a hint of some sharp masculine scent heated by his warm skin, and felt a very familiar twist of desire low in her abdomen. Her heart sped up. A reaction to pheromones...but her heart wanted him, too, wanted him so badly that it hurt.

Thatwas when both of their comlinks beeped.

"_Guys? Is anybody home?"_

Jesse was back.

"Don't answer him," Brennan said, tracing her ear with his tongue.

"_Shal, are you there?"_

Oh god, she didn't want to answer Jesse, but she felt guilty just ignoring him...

"I'm here, Jess," she finally said, rolling over and disentangling herself from Brennan. "What's up?"

Brennan was doing wicked things to her body with his hands, and it was all she could do to keep her voice steady.

"_Well...I just got back, and the place seemed deserted. When I couldn't find anyone, and I saw that you weren't in your room, I got worried."_

"I'm sorry," she said, trying not to gasp.

"_Where are you, anyway?"_

She panicked. What could she say? The reply, 'in bed with Brennan' flashed through her mind, but she didn't dare say it. Brennan did something to her then that made her brain short out altogether. She had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from whimpering.

"Listen, Jess, I'm a little, um...indisposed at the moment. How about you put on a pot of coffee and I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few?" There. That would keep him out of the way and occupied so he wouldn't see her come out of Brennan's room.

"_Sounds good,"_ Jesse replied easily. Then, _"Where's Brennan? I saw his car in the garage –"_

"We had kind of a late night," she answered in a rush. "I think he's still asleep in his room." The lie came out easily enough, but she hadn't been able to keep her voice from wavering. Brennan was anything but asleep, and if she had to try and speak again, Jesse was going to hear something he shouldn't.

"_Okay, Shal. See you in a few."_

The comlink clicked off...just as Brennan brought her to a quick, shuddering release, holding her tight as she arched back with the intensity of it. Shivering with tiny aftershocks, she relaxed back against his body, feeling her heart slamming in her chest.

Oh god...it was good, so good that she was crying again. If anything, she was even more turned on now than before. She wanted to make love with him this one last time, before it was too late and last night's spell was broken...but she couldn't.

"I have to go."

Brushing her hair softly aside, he kissed the back of her neck, making her shiver all over. "I wish you wouldn't."

"I know."

She didn't want to go.

The roses survived their of neglect with no real harm done. A few more of the petals had found their way to the floor during the night, the buds just the slightest bit wilted from the lack of water – it was nothing a little care wouldn't fix. Tending to them was the first thing that Shalimar did after meeting up with Jesse, who seemed to be blissfully unaware that anything had happened while he was away. The flowers were already responding her tender care, petals starting to unfold into full bloom. How could they not respond to her love?

The door to her room was open, and Brennan could see the bouquet where it sat on a shelf in a simple glass vase. The rich red softness of the petals made him think of her soft lips, of the flush that had colored her cheeks... The roses paled in comparison to her.

It was then that he heard her soft, distinctive footsteps coming toward him.

"Hey," she said warmly.

"Hey." He looked at her and smiled. "I'm glad you liked the flowers."

She walked up and leaned against the arm of the chair he was sitting in.

"The flowers aren't the only thing that I liked." A sexy smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

"Oh?" he teased, feeling desire start to stir at her not-so-subtle comment.

"Mm." She walked around in front of him, stepping close between his legs.

He sat up, his arms coming around her waist, and rested his head against her flat stomach. He could feel where the fabric of her shirt had ridden up, exposing the warmth of her skin, warmth he had held in his arms only just this morning.

He'd been with her like this last night, realizing that she was going to let him make love with her, that she wanted him, too. He still couldn't believe that last night had been real – any doubts he might have had about her loving him were erased when he'd kissed her and tasted her tears.

Her hands toyed with the hair at the back of his head. He let her play, loving the feeling, her gentle affection, before turning his head and pressing his lips against her belly. She made a soft, animal sound, and if he hadn't known better he would have said she was purring. The thought made him smile.

"Thank you for being my valentine," she said, very softly. He heard the love in her voice.

"Thank you for being mine."

Her hand dropped to his shoulder where she squeezed once, twice quickly. Then she was stepping back, out of his arms. She was leaving him?

"Hey, Jess," she said brightly, as if nothing had been happening between them just now.

So that was why she had suddenly moved away.

Jesse grinned at her. "So, did a secret admirer send you those roses?" He nodded in the direction of her open door, and the bouquet visible inside.

Brennan didn't fail to notice the warmth that crept into her smile and lit up her already beautiful brown eyes.

"Brennan brought them for me."

Jesse's eyebrows shot up, and Brennan felt his stomach plummet. "Really?"

She nodded, smiling that sweet smile of hers. "Made my day."

Without another word, she sauntered off. With a pang of longing, Brennan watched her go, observing the light playing on the golden cascade of her hair, the gentle sway of her hips, and silently cursing Jesse for showing up. She gave him one last loving look before she disappeared around the corner.

Jesse was eyeing him strangely.

"What?"

"I don't know..." Jesse answered slowly. "I just thought I sensed something different about you two."

Brennan hoped that his light chuckle didn't sound as forced as it felt. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jesse frowned. "Did you put the moves on her?"

"I gave her the flowers to cheer her up, smartass."

Jesse continued to eye him, but his suspicion was fading. "I've tried flowers before – never cheered her up like that. C'mon, Brennan, I could almost hear her purring. What did you do?"

He stood, grinning at Jesse then in a way that said everything and nothing at all. Walking over, he patted his friend on the shoulder.

"A magician never tells his secrets, Jess," he answered cryptically. "And speaking of telling, why don't you tell me how your date went last night with... What was her name? Sarah?"

"Jennifer, actually," Jesse corrected. "And we had a really good time."

"I'd say so, since you didn't come home last night."

Brennan knew then, watching Jesse blush, that he was safe. His friend had already forgotten anything he might have thought he saw going on with he and Shalimar. And that was a very good thing. They weren't ready for anyone to know.

"It isn't what you think," Jesse told him. "We stayed up all night talking."

Brennan looked at him with patent disbelief. "Just talking?"

"Yeah," Jesse replied, grinning stupidly. "It was great."

"Sometimes you're too much of a nice guy, Jess. You miss out on all the fun."

"Well, _I_ had fun," Jesse retorted, and then his eyes twinkled. "I think she wants to see me again."

Brennan just laughed.

"There is one thing I want to know, though," Jesse began, and Brennan felt a very sharp stab of panic. "Shal said you guys had a late night last night. What were you doing?"

Brennan pinned on his most charming, most believable smile and lied right through his teeth.

"Just talking," he said smoothly. "Lamenting over our mutual lack of a date for Valentines Day."

Jesse laughed, and Brennan knew that he had bought it.

He might not have had a date, but he'd ended up with something much more special instead – Shalimar. And she really loved him, when he'd never thought that such a thing was even possible. It still seemed too good to be true. And with the way things had been going before Jess showed up, he had a feeling they would be reliving their very special Valentines Day together very soon.

No matter what, no matter where things went or didn't from here, he would never forget it or regret it. He didn't think she would either.

The End


End file.
